Test drive Nissan Primera sedan since 2002 sedan

Universals with a shade for originality

Cars with a station wagon is a very specific product, especially when it comes to our market. And the higher the class of this station wagon and its retail price, the more narrow the market niche in which this model is positioned.
 
Now this is simpler: the station wagons, especially belonging to the middle or higher middle class, have become the subject of worship of a special category of buyers, the number of which is growing day by day. Today, an active lifestyle is in fashion, and such stylish models of station wagons, such as the BMW 3-Series Touring or Lexus IS200 Sportcross, very successfully combine the prestige of an expensive car and a high degree of functionality. The sedans who have lost their sores are gradually surrendering under the onslaught of more unusual and at the same time practical models. Even the sportsmen could no longer stand: Audi released real fighters on public roads in the form of their TOP models RS6 and RS4, and both should be noted, produced with the station wagon. And in the remaining sectors of the market, the sheds are gradually occupied by higher places in the sales rating. See how many high-profile premieres have taken place in recent years-Renault Vel Satis (although it looks like a hatchback, but still), Mercedes-Benz E-Class T-Modell, Saab 9-5 Wagon, etc. In general, the case of the station wagons is growing and stronger!
 
But this is in them, in the European market, where even the car is quite expensive, in most cases it has really ceased to be a luxury and finally turned into a functional thing that is very convenient in everyday life (for example, a microwave or a mobile phone). We have a completely different alignment - a new car, especially the middle class model, is not available to everyone, so it is still the subject of prestige and luxury. And it is quite normal that the buyer of this new middle -class car wants his car to be or at least look very prestigious - and he acquires a sedan. Black. With a leather salon, climate and electric packet.
 
Few people think about the functionality of the purchase at this moment, everyone looks at what they look like, drives and how well the car is equipped. And as for functionality, so most buyers quite rightly believe that the large trunk of the station wagon or hatchback will never come in handy. Indeed, not every day you buy a new washing machine or a large TV that will not enter the trunk of the sedan. And if you have to do this someday, then you can order home delivery.
 
Nevertheless, large station wagons are also in demand, and very stable. Some models even find their consumer only in the form of a station wagon, and in many others, the share of versions with this type of body in the total number of sales sometimes reaches 50-60%. And in the future, this trend will only develop - the emergence of new, very unusual models of hatchbacks and station wagons should provoke increased demand for them. If only because modern models, the debut of which either has already taken place or will take place in the near future, really became an order of magnitude universal. Can you imagine that the manufacturer makes new stamps specially for a five -door version and invest in re -equipment? Nevertheless, this is so. Opel, for example, created the new Signum hatchback, made on the basis of the Vectra model - lengthened the wheelbase and thus turned the mid -class car into an unusual business class representative. And this is only one of the new products of the near future ...
 
In the meantime, the new models of incredibly stylish and functional hatchbacks and station wagons are not presented, we decided to compare two middle -class cars with a universal body. Also very outstanding and interesting. So, get acquainted: Nissan Primera Station Wagon and Citroeon C5 Break.
 
Design
 
Both cars, both Nissan and Citroeon, are interesting samples of modern automobile design. Moreover, completely different, almost opposite its directions. The new Primera is technocracy, a child of the century of computers, mobile phones and ubiquitous electronics. Direct sharp lines combined with convex body panels, slightly seasoned with large lighting equipment with transparent glasses - the car is more like a conceptual development than a serial model, which has been in production for a year and a half. PRIMERA hatchback is especially effective in this sense - his rear lights are very interesting, by the way, forms, slightly protruding above the surface of the body - an unusual stylistic solution. An even more unusual solution is the use of a reverse chamber in a serial car, which turns on every time the driver uses reverse. In this case, the image transmitted by the camera is projected onto the black and white screen located on the central console. Interestingly, all this equipment is standard for Nissan Primera - you do not need to pay extra for the camera and screen.
 
Although Citrooen is in terms of design and calmer, this does not bother him to be interesting. Firstly, the French have always been strong in this area, and secondly, it is C5 that is considered one of the most remarkable Citroen models. The car is produced in the form of a hatchback and station wagon, and each of these types of body is interesting in its own way. The hatchback is like a large fish, and the station wagon ... It definitely does not look like fish, and besides, it is very elegant. Massive, nevertheless extremely beautiful: vertical stripes of the rear lights, rolling the roof line. It is interesting that the French station wagons are traditionally better and more interesting, it is enough to recall at least the notorious Citroeon XM Break or Xantia Universal.
 
Naturally, the Citroone C5 is equipped with a proprietary hydroprematic suspension Hydractive III - with its help you can change the road clearance and adjust the rigidity of the suspension. The rear suspension is self -regulating - when loading the trunk, the compressor adds pressure, and the back of the car does not sag under weight weight. And the third -generation hydroractive can fight the body rolls, which he is successfully and does throughout the way. On braking, the machine does not peck the front of the front, and in stressed high -speed turns rides almost flat. As for the possibility of changing the road clearance, this is more likely for the sample, and this effect works only when the car squats slightly at high speed. Its clearance is reduced, the center of gravity decreases and the smoothness of the course increases, so the car sways less on irregularities.
 
But I strongly do not recommend increasing the cross-country ability of a car by increasing the road clearance: you still cannot drive a front-wheel drive passenger car along the jeep-grip highway, but it’s quite likely to damage the bottom or something. So consider hydropnematics on Citroen as a free bonus, and not as a defining factor. Moreover, for Hydractive III, as in the case of the rear -way camera in Nissan, you do not need to pay extra - it is an element of the C5 structure and is supplied in all versions.
 
Equipment
 
For an objective assessment of the degree of car equipment, we took the basic versions of the cars. However, tested versions had completely different equipment. And the standard equipment is most clearly demonstrating what the car is equipped with, and what to pay for.
 
And in principle, you don’t have to pay extra: both models justify their high cost and have a fairly extensive list of equipment. So, in the database, both models have frontal airbags in the amount of two pieces (Citrooon also has side airbs and curtains to protect the head), ABS and a helping system for emergency braking Brake Assist. There is also a hydraulic booster, an immobilizer, a steering column adjustable in height and departure, as well as the air conditioning system in C5 air conditioning, and PRIMERA has climate control. Both models are painted in metallic, equipped with a cd player, a central locking lock, an electric drive and an electric heater of external mirrors and have an on-board computer.
 
Next, a small priority of Nissan begins, as it is equipped richer. He has an EBD, belt pretense, bumpers painted in the color of the body, an external temperature sensor and an electric drive of all windows. What does Citroeon offer? ASR anti -wings system, airbags, hydraulic power steering, fog lights, rear window blinds and athermic glass. However, we assume that in this round a draw-both models are equipped quite well, and, in fact, there is no point in ordering some additional equipment.
 
Comfort
 
The middle class of topics is famous that in terms of comfort, it almost reaches business class models, significantly exceeding various small-leafing and golf-class models. A large wheelbase, a spacious interior, a rich list of standard equipment - all this determines both a relatively high price and an advanced level of comfort. But it turned out that both station wagons who visited our test did not differ very smoothly: the pendants in both cases seemed a little harsh. Nissan has elastic suspensions in sports, and Citroeon, despite the imposing swaying of the body, is also practicing unevenly strictly strictly. Moreover, there is no particular difference in the rigidity of the suspension in any of the provided modes of its work, the differences are manifested at the level of the nuances. If in the lowest position the suspension simply transfers blows to the body, then the passage of the same obstacle in the elevated state is also accompanied by swinging the body.
 
On the Nissan and Citroeon highway they behave in a very similar way: a stable straightforward movement, a clear follow -up to the driver’s teams and a smooth move. If the road is good, without pronounced defects, then the smoothness simply delights: the cars only sway softly, lulling their passengers. Citroeon is especially good, which cries at speed, and its course becomes even softer - in this mode you can really not be tired of overcome a thousand kilometers.
 
But Nissan was not so comfortable in the route mode - the station wagon pleased with unexpected aerodynamic noises, clearly distinguishable against the other sounds. The new Primera was generally a rather noisy car, at a speed of about 100-120 km/h the work of the motor is well heard, and the wind sings from somewhere in the area of \u200b\u200bthe rearview mirrors and howls near the back door. It is strange - judging by the appearance, with aerodynamics, the priest had to be all right.
 
The platform in Borovaya also did not reveal special talents by Nissan Primer - the car is somehow completely uninteresting. Gas is an exit to a wider trajectory, reset - smooth movement to a smaller radius. It should be noted that the rolls are minimal - apparently, for this I must say thanks to the harsh pendants. But for such a strange steering in my habits, I want to say something not quite pleasant: I have not seen more incomprehensible in my reactions of the steering mechanism. Firstly, the steering wheel is quite empty and completely uninformative - on the highway or in a speedy turn from it you will not wait for any information regarding the coefficient of clutch with the road. And secondly, with high-speed maneuvering, it turned out to be very difficult, and to such an extent that it is just right to recall UAZ control skills with small steering interceptions. Usually, if the hydraulic power steering is not enough performance, the steering wheel can bite with rapid rotation - quickly twisting it in one direction, when turning into the reverse, you have to fight the resistance of the hydraulic power steering - it still leads the steering wheel there. But in this case, everything turned out to be even more incomprehensible: the steering of Primera simply becomes stupid and heavy with quick rotation, and we could not find a logical explanation for this.
 
Citroone C5 was a little better, but he was also not going to delight us with a particularly driver and steering. Maybe this is a feature of the versions with the wagon body, but the harsh suspension is uninformative, but a very light steering wheel completely killed a desire to chase in this car. It was pleasant to move slowly in it, but all sorts of slipping there caused only negative emotions. True, it should be noted that despite the unwillingness of the car to lick turns at high speed, her behavior in such modes did not deserve any reproaches - everything is reliable and stable. And even more than that: all reactions to the driver’s actions are, as it were, stretched out in time, so there is always time to correct piloting errors.
 
Results
 
Both cars are certainly good both as models of the middle class and as station wagons. Comfortable, spacious, well -equipped, with a pleasant external and very revolutionary internal design. But, like all other cars, our experimental ones have their own shortcomings. Both turned out to be a little harsh on our roads, despite the fact that Citroeon has its vaunted air suspension - a lack of comfort is felt on the potholes and pits. Again, in its behavior at high speed, these two rather powerful and high -speed models showed themselves not in the best way - Citroeon surprised the empty steering wheel, and Nissan - aerodynamic noises that occurred at speeds of over 90 km/h. Although this cannot be called the most global drawback.
 
As for the general rating for both models, it turned out to be very difficult for us to identify the winner in this comparative test. If only because Citroone and Nissan are completely different from each other, despite the same body type. Nissan Primera is just a good modern car, fashionable and very advanced in terms of electronics and design. And Citroeon C5 is a real bourgeois, leisurely, slightly imposing and very stylish. So when choosing a new middle class universal, it is unlikely that anyone will choose between these two models - consumer groups, one must think that Citroen and Nissan will be completely different ...
 

Source: "Avtogazeta"